In this week's INVEN Weekly Top Rankings, 'Palworld' maintained its lead for the second consecutive week. 'Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced' climbed one spot to 2nd, while 'Professional Baseball Spirits 2026' jumped two spots to 3rd. Conversely, last week's runner-up, 'Dragon Sword: Awakening,' fell two spots to 4th. As the initial post-launch hype begins to settle, the key point to watch in the coming weeks will be whether it can sustain long-term success.
In the mid-tier, 'Blind Three Kingdoms' and 'Granblue Fantasy Relink - Endless Ragnarok' each rose one spot to 5th and 6th, respectively. 'Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars' also showed steady momentum, climbing two spots to 7th. Despite mixed reviews following its release, last week's hot new title 'Halo: Campaign Evolved' rose two spots to 8th. While praise for its modern revival of the original combat feel coexists with disappointment over the lack of multiplayer and optimization issues, the influence of the 'Halo' brand remains evident.
In the lower rankings, two new entries stand out. The soccer manga-based 'Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters' debuted at 9th, and 'LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight,' which reimagines the Batman story in signature LEGO style, entered at 10th.
Game Freak's new action RPG, 'Beast of Reincarnation,' is also set to launch this week. With its dark world-building and action-focused gameplay—a departure from the 'Pokémon' series—it is considered one of the most anticipated titles of the week. Attention is focused on user reception and how high it will climb on next week's charts.
Notable New Releases, Events, and Updates
Last week, 'Zenless Zone Zero' released its 3.1 version update, 'Long Goodbye,' to celebrate its second anniversary. The update added new regions, story content, and the limited S-rank Agent 'Remiel,' alongside massive rewards including a limited S-rank Agent/W-Engine selector and 1600 Polychrome. Following the update, the game reached 2nd in sales on the domestic Google Play Store and held that position through the weekend. While users responded positively to the new character, combat animations, and anniversary rewards, some voiced concerns regarding high hardware requirements, overheating, storage capacity, and optimization.
'Halo: Campaign Evolved,' a reimagining of Master Chief's first journey, was officially released on the 29th. It received generally favorable reviews, with Metacritic scores of 80 for PS5, 86 for Xbox Series X, and 77 for PC. Critics praised the Unreal Engine 5 visuals, improved controls, and the enduring quality of the gunplay and enemy AI. However, some pointed out that the original's unique artistic atmosphere has faded, and noted issues with repetitive late-game design, the lack of competitive multiplayer, and a lack of price competitiveness compared to 'The Master Chief Collection.'
Two indie games from small domestic developers also made their debut last week. CircleFromDot's hardcore top-down shooter 'Kusan: City of Wolves' received a 'Very Positive' rating on Steam, with 93% of its first 104 user reviews being positive, and launched with a Metacritic score of 84. Key praise focused on its short but tightly designed stages, fast-paced combat, and an intense soundtrack by Loptimist.
On the same day, Project Cloud Games' action RPG 'The Relic: First Guardian' was officially released. Developed over six years by a team of about 10, the game features a combat system based on weapon and equipment combinations rather than classes, focusing on battles against powerful bosses. While unstable motion, clunky controls, and limited scale were noted as drawbacks, the game was praised for its stylish combat based on precise offense and defense, and a world-building infused with Korean cultural elements, showing potential beyond its small-scale development.
This Week's ISSUE: Game Freak's New Title, 'Beast of Reincarnation' (Not Pokémon)
This week sees the official release of 'Beast of Reincarnation,' a new action RPG from Game Freak, best known for the 'Pokémon' series. Set in a future Japan where civilization has collapsed, the story follows Emma, a girl who has lost her emotions, and Kuga, a mysterious dog, as they face a threat covering the world. The core gameplay involves combining Emma's fast swordsmanship with Kuga's abilities, and includes a strategic system that allows players to slow down time and issue commands to allies during real-time action. The game is drawing attention for Game Freak's challenge in creating an original IP with a completely different atmosphere from their flagship series.
On the 6th, the simulation game 'Iron Nest: Heavy Turret Simulator' will be released. Instead of a soldier on the front lines, the player operates a massive 5k-ton dieselpunk turret. Players must analyze information from headquarters and the front lines, calculate target locations on a map, and manually operate levers, dashboards, and hydraulic systems to fire. The game is characterized by the complex process of operating a massive war machine rather than simply aiming and shooting.
On the 7th, 'Marvel Fighting Souls,' a fighting game co-developed by Arc System Works, PlayStation Studios, and Marvel Games, will be released. It is a 4v4 tag battle game where players form teams with Marvel heroes and villains like Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man, and the X-Men. Based on Arc System Works' signature flashy animation and fast-paced combat, the game emphasizes the fun of completing combos and chain skills by switching characters in real-time. It supports online casual and ranked matches, as well as local play, practice modes, and an open lobby for social interaction.
The 12nd 'Busan Indie Connect Festival 2026' (BIC 2026) will hold its online festival from the 7th to the 28th. During this period, players can experience various indie games submitted by domestic and international developers online. An offline festival will follow from August 14th to 16th at BEXCO Exhibition Center 1, Hall 2 in Busan. It is expected to be an indie game festival where players can discover new titles without constraints of time or location.
Last Week's METACRITIC Scores?
Last week, new Metacritic scores were released for titles including 'Kusan: City of Wolves,' 'Halo: Campaign Evolved,' 'Corsair Cove,' and 'The Relic: First Guardian.'
First, the hardcore top-down shooter 'Kusan: City of Wolves' from domestic developer CircleFromDot recorded a score of 84 based on 6 critic reviews. While the score may change as more reviews are added, it is currently well-regarded for its fast, intense combat, stylish visuals, and challenging stage design. Combat involving quick combinations of firearms, knives, and a prosthetic arm requires high adeptness, but players report a clear sense of achievement after overcoming stages through repeated attempts. Conversely, the high difficulty where one mistake leads to death, lack of system explanations, and a somewhat difficult-to-follow story were cited as barriers to entry.
'Halo: Campaign Evolved,' a modern reimagining of Master Chief's first battle, recorded a score of 80 based on 50 critic reviews. Key praise focused on the Unreal Engine 5 graphics, modernized control scheme, and the still-excellent enemy AI and gunplay. It is evaluated as having successfully maintained the combat feel of the 2001 original while making it accessible to new players. However, the fading of the original's unique artistic atmosphere, repetitive late-game stages, and the lack of competitive multiplayer were mentioned as drawbacks. While a high-quality remake, opinions are divided on whether it is essential for existing fans.
The pirate-themed city-building game 'Corsair Cove' recorded a score of 79 based on 13 reviews. Its unique system of stacking buildings vertically on limited islands and connecting them with ziplines, elevators, and bridges to build complex production chains was well-received. Content involving forming pirate crews and sending them on sea expeditions, along with the bright and cheerful atmosphere, were also cited as strengths. However, some pointed out that the city-building and sailing content do not fully integrate organically, and some systems feel repetitive in the late game. It is evaluated as a unique construction simulator that appropriately blends complex logistics management with lighthearted pirate fantasy.
On the other hand, Project Cloud Games' action RPG 'The Relic: First Guardian' remained at 54 based on 8 critic reviews. The dark world-building inspired by Korean folklore, combat utilizing various weapons, and massive boss designs were seen as evidence of the developers' ambition. However, harsh criticism followed regarding unstable performance, rough controls, monotonous animations, and combat design that failed to properly leverage the game's strengths. While some critics acknowledged that it has the basic framework to develop into an action game, the consensus was that in its current state, it is difficult to recommend to users in terms of both completeness and price.
New Game Popularity Poll
This week's poll covers games released or scheduled for release between July 3rd and September 3rd. Accordingly, 'Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars' has been removed from the poll, and games such as 'Resonance: Flag Tale Legacy' and 'Star Wars Zero Company' have been added.
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